Friday, December 14, 2007

None of you is likely to forgive me for the bad joke in the headline when you read this article. But still, I think this little event shows up the practical risks of embracing irrational beliefs in magic and the occult. So the next time some wide-eyed individual calls me a closed-minded old grumpus because I can't see the "beauty" in the act of confusing fantasy with reality, I'll just reply that I'd rather have a closed mind than a bloody severed limb. Skepticism: the life and limb you save may be your own.

Would it be better to have your hand chopped off because someone thought your fingers print opened a door? Although, this was clearly irrational, I fail to see how it is much crazier than someone in modern society being mislead to believe that your finger print opens a door to fort Knox or something. Surely it would be irrational for someone from India to think that your finger print could possibly open a door and so they would not fall for such a trick, but someone in modern society could conceivably be lead astray by the claim, because we have seen it work.

Likewise people there have been deceived by the many claims and superstitions of false religion, which they think they have seen work. For example, modern scientists have discovered that many ancient plant medications have very real scientific reason behind them, despite the fact they were first applied out of superstition. Again, do not get me wrong cutting someone’s leg off because you believe it has healing properties is crazy and wrong; because you are harming the person. However, let us not assume that just because we have not observed something first hand means it is impossible or magical. Quite often things that were once seemingly irrational are discovered to have a rational reason behind them.

Accordingly, it would seem that there could possibly be a rational core underneath their beliefs, and leading them to accept these entwined superstitions. There has clearly been rational and irrational practices mixed together within their culture, and so they have been left unable to discern what truth from fallacy. Just like many people in modern society are forced to accept the word of scientific and sociality leaders because we have seen modern technology work, although we do not completely understand it all. Likewise, they are forced to take the word of their religious and sociality leaders because they have seen certain technologies work, such as plant medications, although they do not understand it.

We have been deceived by our scientific leaders on certain things such as Darwinian evolution and they have been lead astray on certain things such as magical legs. There is no difference as both are superstitions. Just look at some of the impressive trickery the ancients implored, and you can certainly begin to imagine what types of amazing technological trickery might be being employed by in today’s modern society. http://www.thehistorychannel.co.uk/site/tv_guide/full_details/World_history/programme_72.php

Likewise people there have been deceived by the many claims and superstitions of false religion, which they think they have seen work.

You are not in any appreciable way different in this regard, as far as I can see.

There has clearly been rational and irrational practices mixed together within their culture, and so they have been left unable to discern what truth from fallacy.

And another irony meter goes BOOM!

Again, do not get me wrong cutting someone’s leg off because you believe it has healing properties is crazy and wrong; because you are harming the person.

It's also wrong because legs do not have the kinds of magical healing properties these morons thought it had. Modern biology has come pretty far, and we would have discovered such a trait by now.

Quite often things that were once seemingly irrational are discovered to have a rational reason behind them.

But most often they aren't. I predict that at no time in the future will the legs of Hindu holy men be found to possess magical healing properties. Just call it a wild stab in the dark.

We have been deceived by our scientific leaders on certain things such as Darwinian evolution and they have been lead astray on certain things such as magical legs. There is no difference as both are superstitions.

And thus you reveal yourself to be yet another pig-ignorant creationist dope. Evolution is supported by just about the most comprehensive body of evidence of any scientific theory in existence. And believe it or not, real working biologists — the people who have dedicated their lives and careers to studying this field, and who, if actual effort is to be figured into it, clearly care a hell of a lot more about exploring the mysteries of life than you do — know more about this subject than you; that's why they're the experts. So please educateyourself before coming here to waste the time of your intellectual betters, thank you very much.

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PLEASE NOTE: The Atheist Experience has moved to a new location, and this blog is now closed to comments. To participate in future discussions, please visit http://www.freethoughtblogs.com/axp.The Atheist Experience is a weekly live call-in television show sponsored by the Atheist Community of Austin. This independently-run blog (not sponsored by the ACA) features contributions from current and former hosts and co-hosts of the show.